


"Gold's Kitchen" part sixteen

by mrgoldsdearie



Series: "Gold's Kitchen" [16]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Once Upon a Time Fusion, F/M, Inspired by Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 05:53:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2954660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrgoldsdearie/pseuds/mrgoldsdearie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hell’s Kitchen: AU - The gourmet burger challenge begins at Chef Rumple Gold’s restaurant Spinners and some familiar faces return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Gold's Kitchen" part sixteen

**Author's Note:**

> GOLD’S KITCHEN IS BACK, YAY! This is a short little chapter, but it’s setting up for more.

Belle and Mulan, blitz into the kitchen and prepare to make one hundred burgers for the hungry customers.

Belle has Chef Regina as her assistant and she quickly writes out her meal plan. “I want to do a kobe beef burger, but keep the flavor simple, so that you really taste the beef.”

"Alright, sounds like a good plan," Regina replies.

"So, We’re just going to season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, fresh cracked black pepper and just a little worcestershire sauce."

"What about an egg?" Regina asks. "You’ll need something to bind it together."

"Excellent idea, Chef, and we’ll hit it with salt just before it goes on the flat top." Belle sits her pen down and rushes to the pantry.

Chef Regina dashes behind her and helps with the ingredients. “I’m not so sure about the flat top cooking. You want to keep them simple, right?”

Belle turns to Regina. “Yes, Chef.”

"Then you need to add as much flavor as you can, with your simple techniques. You should grill them, adding a nice level of smoke flavor."

Belle smiles. “Thank you, Chef.”

"I’m just doing my job and that’s helping you win."

The chefs gather their ingredients and hurry back into the kitchen. Belle opens packages of fresh kobe beef and drops it into the huge industrial sized mixer. “Chef?”

"This is your kitchen now. I should be calling you chef." Regina comments, as she mixes the spice blend for the burgers.

"Oh, you’re right." Belle giggles. She’s so nervous. "Regina." She clears her throat. "I know the challenge is burgers, but since we’re going so simple, I’m thinking we might be able to push out a side."

 

"It depends on the side you have in mind."

"Chips, thinly sliced, fried crispy, with sea salt."

"I think we can do that, Chef." Regina hands Belle the spice mix, runs to the pantry for the potatoes and slices them thin on the mandolin.

Belle mixes the meat with the spices and eggs, then pats out a sample patty to cook. She cooks the small patty on each side and taste it. “Regina? What do you think about the flavor?” Belle feeds her a piece of the patty.

"No salt. You didn’t salt the outside."

"Shit !" Belle promptly makes another patty.

"It’s alright, Belle, just take a deep breath and make sure you don’t forget any steps." Regina assures her.

"Yes, Chef … I mean, Regina." Belle glances out the window of the open kitchen, her eyes fall on Chef Gold and he smiles at her. Knowing that he’s watching over her, as her boyfriend, helps relieve some of her nervousness. Belle cooks the second sample patty and tastes, it’s delicious. "Regina, tastes this one."

"Perfect, Chef."

"Thank you !" Belle quickly moves on to shaping the rest of the patties.

Chef Gold makes his way through the kitchen. “You have thirty minutes of prep,” he announces and looks in on Mulan’s side of the kitchen. He peeks into the mixer at her ground meat for the burgers and can smell the aroma of Asian herbs and spices. “What are you making, dearie?”

"Umm, they’re hoisin ginger burgers, with lime pickled onions."

"Sounds delicious." He tastes her picking liquid. "Careful with the vinegar. You may want to taste that again."

Mulan takes a quick taste. “It needs more sugar.”

"That’s right. Keep up the work, you’re doing an excellent job."

"Thank you, Chef."

"You have less than twenty-five minutes."

"Yes, thank you." Mulan dashes back to the pantry.

Chef Gold steps over the Belle’s side. “Everything looks great, dearie.”

"Thank you, Chef. I have a burger patty if you’d like to taste it." Belle drops chips into the fryer.

"Yes, I would." He breaks off a piece. "The seasoning is spot on, but watch your temp. The test burger taste delicious, but it’s over cooked. Make sure each burger is a perfect medium."

Belle looks into his eyes and nods. “Yes, Chef.”

Chef Gold can tell how edgy she is and he instantly takes her hand.

Belle is taken by surprise. “People can see this,” she whispers.

"I don’t care." He takes a set closer. "Calm down, my love," he says softly. 

"Yes, Rumple." She squeezes his hand.

He turns away and walks out into the dining room.

The prep half of the challenge flies bye. Now Mulan and Belle must get their burgers cooked and served to the customers in Spinners dining room.

"Regina, keep an eye on these. I’m going to start plating," Belle speaks with more confidence.

"Yes, Chef." Regina switches stations.

"I want them all mediums."

"You’ll get nothing less."

"Thank you !"

"Thank me when we win, Chef." Regina places fresh patties on the wood fire grill.

Belle plates the finished kobe burgers, melted with gruyere cheese, on top of a fresh sweet Hawaiian roll, toasted with butter. She dresses the burger with her homemade garlic mayo, heirloom tomatoes and lettuce. Finishing the plate with crispy sea salt potato chips. She completes five plates and starts sending them out to the customers, ahead of Mulan.

Mulan scrambles, but is able to start getting plates out as well.

Thirty minutes into the second hour, half of the dining room is eating, as Chef Rumple Gold makes another round in the kitchen. He checks in on Mulan and she is a little flustered. “Take a breath, Mulan. You have enough time to finish and watch your plating, you’re getting sloppy. You want the last dish to be as perfect as your first.”

"Yes, Chef." She takes a deep breath, wiping the sweat from her brow and tosses the towel in the ben. "Zelena, I need more burgers," she calls.

Gold strolls over to Belle’s side of the kitchen and she’s more focused than before.”You’re going great, Belle. Keep it up.” He gives her grin.

“Thank you, Chef.” She hurries to serve the last of her burgers.

“Less than ten minutes left,” Gold informs and the ladies kick their asses into high gear.

All the cooking is finished, now it’s all about getting the final plates out to the dining room. Belle and Regina have their dishes complete and send them out with two minutes to spare. Belle sighs is relieve, she can’t believe how fast she worked and making every dish perfect. She’s never been prouder of herself.

Mulan works to the last second, crawling her way out of her hole, but she finishes on time. Sending her last dish, just as the clock runs out.

The customers in the dining room seem contented with the food they’ve been given and its hard to tell from the contestants view, who has the advantage.

Belle steps to Mulans side of the kitchen and shakes her hand. “Wow, that was a tough one. You did a fantastic job.” 

“Thanks, so did you.”

The contestants clear down the kitchen and wait for the results of the challenge to be made. Thirty minutes after the last burger was sent, Chef Gold has the score from all of the diners. He stands in front of the kitchen with the final two Hell’s Kitchen competitors by his side. “First I’d like to congratulate both of you for the amazing work you did in that kitchen. Any chef would have found that challenge difficult and both of you pulled it off.” 

The diners cheer with applause.

“Thank you, Chef,” he ladies reply, ounces the crowd calms.

“The winner of this challenge will have a slight advantage going in the final. I know both of you are anxiously waiting, so let’s announce the winner of the burger challenge.” Chef Gold takes a deep breath and opens the results. “This was a close one, extremely fucking close. The difference between the winner and the loser is by two votes, amazing. The person with the best burger in Las Vegas is, Mulan.”

The diners explode with cheers.

“Everyone loved your Asian take on the humble burger. Congratulations, dearie.” 

“Thank you.” Mulan remains calm, but she’s more excited then she’s ever been.

“I'm happy for you, Mulan.” Belle congratulates her.

“Thank you, thank you again.” She hugs Belle.

“Now, for your advantage.”

Belle takes a step back.

“You don’t have to step back.” Gold takes Belle’s hand and pulls her back into the spotlight. “This involves both of you.”

Suddenly marching into the dining room of Spinners restaurant are the former contestants, Ashley Boyd, Victor Whale, and Neal Cassidy. Mulan and Belle are ecstatic to see them.

Since Chef Gold can’t have Jefferson Hatter anywhere around him without wanting to rip off his face, grill it and toss it in the trash, he brought back a contestant that was eliminated fairly early in the competition, Jafar Barmaki. No one is exactly pleased to see him return, not even Chef Gold.

After the excitement of the crowd dies, Gold continues his announcement. “For your advantage, you get to have first pick for the team that will help you in your last and final Hell’s Kitchen challenge. So, dearie, who is your pick?”

"My first pick is someone that I know will work hard for me in the kitchen. That person is Victor."

Victor stands by Mulan’s side, proud to the first pick and willing to do everything he can to help her win.

"Dr. Frankenstein, how are the family jewels?" Chef Gold asks, with a smirk on his face.

"They’ve held nicely, since the day I left." He jokingly answers.

"That’s good to hear. Nice to have you back."

"Thank you, Chef."

Gold turns to Belle. “Next pick is yours, dearie.”

"Well, this isn’t a hard choice for me. I pick, Neal."

Neal steps out of line to take his place next to Belle, but before he does, he stops in front of the chef. “When I left Hell’s Kitchen, I was being an ass. I’m glad I have this chance to stand to you, face to face, and apologize. I wasn’t ready to be your chef and now I know, that I have a lot to learn.” Neal extends his hand.

Chef Gold shakes his hand and looks him in the eyes. “Thank you, Neal. I offer you my apologies as well. I think you are an excellent chef, you just need someone to teach you.”

"Maybe someday, you’ll be willing to teach me, Chef."

"Perhaps that day is sooner than you think." Gold leans into to his ear. "I want to see you in my office, once the competition is over," he whispers. "I can make you into a great chef."

"Thank you, for giving me a second chance." Neal stands next to Belle and she jumps into his arms, giving him the warmest hug.

"Okay, Mulan, your last pick. You’ll be choosing for both teams." Gold states.

"My last pick is someone that I know I can trust in the kitchen and that’s Ashely."

Ashley leaps with joy and quickly goes to Mulan’s side.

Jafar quietly and coldly stands next to his team. Belle and Neal can feel his intense energy, as if he didn’t give a fuck as to which team he was on. 

"Jafar." Chef Gold nods.

"Chef." Jafar cuts his eyes at him, without turning his head.

"Mulan." Gold faces her. "For winning the challenge you and your team get to spent the rest of the day and night in Vegas."

"Thank you so very much, Chef."

"Enjoy your time." Gold smiles and the diners cheer, as Mulan and her team leave Spinners, waving to the crowd.

"Belle, you and your team are heading back to Hell’s Kitchen right now."

"Yes, Chef."

"I would spend this time wisely and work on your final menu with the team." Gold comments.

Belle nods.

"Get out of here."

She smiles at Neal and hops on his back. He carries her out of the restaurant as they wave to the crowd. Belle may have lost the challenge, but she didn’t lose the competition and she’s not going to let this loss bring her down just yet.

Jafar slowly walks behind them, thinking how foolish his teammates are.


End file.
